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New Prosecutor, Investigator to Take Charge of Vehicle Thefts in Northern Colorado – Loveland Reporter-Herald

New Prosecutor, Investigator to Take Charge of Vehicle Thefts in Northern Colorado – Loveland Reporter-Herald

A new prosecutor and investigator are being hired to help fight car thefts in 13 counties, including Larimer and Weld.

The new team will be based out of the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Larimer County and will work with prosecutors and law enforcement agencies throughout Northern Colorado. Officials said the hiring process is already underway.

The Colorado District Attorney’s Council will cover the costs of positions helping prosecute auto theft crimes in the 8th, 13th, 14th and 19th Judicial Districts, including Larimer, Jackson, Weld, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Washington, Sedgwick, Yuma, Keith. Carson, Grand, Moffat and Routt counties, according to a news release.

Car thefts and thefts from vehicles are a widespread problem, with numbers reaching more than 40,000 statewide in 2022 and nearly 33,000 in 2023, according to Colorado crime statistics.

“Vehicle theft can be particularly detrimental to the lives of victims: a stolen vehicle can prevent someone from getting to work, picking up their children from school, or buying groceries to feed their family,” District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin said in a news release. “This collaboration between the Northern Colorado District Attorney’s offices is the first program of its kind, and we are excited about the positive impact it will have on our community.”

District Attorney Travis Sides, who serves in the 13th Judicial District in Fort Morgan, added, “Vehicle theft and related crimes affect people from all walks of life and all corners of Colorado… There is a lot of work to be done, and this is a positive step in the right direction.” .